10 Animals That Start With 'T': From Terror Birds to Texas Rat Snakes

This feisty little marsupial from Australia is famous for its loud screeches and powerful jaws. Though small in size — about 20 to 31 inches (50.8 to 78.7 centimeters) — Tasmanian devils are formidable hunters, feeding on small mammals and carrion.

Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), a contagious cancer, has killed thousands of Tasmanian devils, which are now on the endangered species list.

This nonvenomous snake lives in Texas and southern Louisiana. They help control rodent populations. Like its close relative, the Western rat snake, it’s a skilled climber and you can sometimes find them in trees or barns.

Despite their intimidating size (42 to 72 inches or 106 to 182.9 centimeters), they are harmless to humans.

Once roaming parts of North, Central and South America, these prehistoric, flightless birds were the apex predators of their time. In a paper published in 2024, researchers said a previously unknown species of terror birds likely grew to be 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) and 330 pounds (150 kilograms).

With powerful legs and massive, hooked beaks, they could chase down prey with terrifying speed. "Terror birds lived on the ground, had limbs adapted for running, and mostly ate other animals," says Siobhán Cooke, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, to Hopkins Medicine.

Scientists have found most terror bird fossils in South America, particularly Argentina and Uruguay.

This tiny but energetic dog breed has a playful nature and is intelligent. Originally bred for hunting small game, toy fox terriers are now beloved pets. Their compact size and affectionate temperament make them great companions.

A secretive and elusive reptile, the Texas night snake is a small, mildly venomous species that inhabits rocky regions. It is most active after sunset, making it a truly nocturnal hunter that catches insects and small lizards.

The Tasmanian tiger snake is one of Australia’s most venomous snakes. "The cocktail of venom is lethal," snake catcher Scott Smith told Yahoo News. "[They] can be extremely deadly but like most snakes, they want to just be left alone to do their thing."

The Tasmanian tiger snake has distinctive banding on its body that resembles tiger stripes. This snake thrives in wetlands and mountainous habitats; cold and warm conditions do not affect the slithering reptile.

With their short, fuzzy coats and friendly personalities, teddy guinea pigs are a popular choice for pet lovers. These herbivorous mammals enjoy a diet of fresh vegetables and hay and require social interaction to stay happy.

A strikingly colored reptile, tangerine leopard geckos stand out because of their vibrant orange hues. Like other leopard geckos, it is easy to care for and has a gentle temperament, making it a favorite among reptile enthusiasts.

It's easy to mistake this nocturnal bird from Australia for a medium-sized owl due to its wide, staring eyes, but they don't have curved talons.

More closely related to nightjars, another nocturnal bird, tawny frogmouths are expert hunters that catch fish and insects with lightning-fast precision, blending seamlessly into their surroundings during the day.

A slow-moving, land-dwelling reptile, the Texas tortoise, which doesn't have webbed feet, thrives in dry environments, feeding on cacti and grasses.

Unlike many tortoises, it is relatively small, making it a unique member of the tortoise family. They are also hard to find since they don't return to the same places daily.

"They’re the weirdos of the North American tortoises, in that they don’t dig burrows," says Jackie Tleimat, a research assistant at Texas A&M University. "They just dig one to two inches of dirt and lay down to make a pallet."

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.